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Is the Airvo™ 2 a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device?


No

The Airvo 2 is a system to deliver Optiflow Nasal High Flow (NHF) therapy.

The Airvo (an NHF system) is a flow-based therapy (you adjust the flow rate for your patient); CPAP is a pressure-based therapy; you set a pressure range for your patient.

The pressure derived from  Optiflow NHF therapy is dynamic, not set, and not constant. The level of pressure changes throughout the breath cycle and is affected by several factors, e.g., size of cannula prongs, breathing rate, whether the patient is breathing with their mouth opened or closed, i.e., the pressure level can fluctuate significantly.

However, research suggests that when all things are treated as equal, NHF generates approximately one cmH2O of pressure for every 10 liters of flow in adults. That means roughly a pressure level of 6 cmH2O at the flow rate of 60 L/min.

 

NHF versus CPAP - comparison table


NHF versus CPAP - comparison table


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